Reborn to Redeem: Their Abusive Love-Chapter 47: Head to the Underground City.

Meeting each of them individually was too much trouble.

Therefore, Xu Si organized a gathering directly, inviting all these business partners to a joint dinner.

The venue was the newly opened Peninsula Restaurant on Hong Kong Island. Its dishes were said to be exquisite and its ambiance pleasant, making it a popular spot for many new powerful families.

It was mid-June, when the weather was changeable, unpredictably sunny or overcast.

Heavy rain delayed their journey, so Xu Si called the suppliers, informing them she would be ten minutes late.

Taking advantage of Xu Si’s absence, the business partners sat together whispering, discussing strategies.

"Miss Xu of the Xu Family is back on Hong Kong Island. We still have to raise our prices, right?"

"Who doesn’t know that among those old powerful families, the Xu Family has it easiest? They haven’t been harshly suppressed or forced to sacrifice shares."

"We should raise the price by at least twenty percent so we can earn more. When Miss Xu wasn’t around and didn’t understand anything, we dictated the terms of cooperation and the prices."

"Anyway, it’s never wrong to establish good relations first. I think raising the price is a trivial matter."

They were all cunning old businesspeople who thought that taking advantage of a rich heiress fresh out of college would be an easy task.

In the windswept summer, Xu Si, dressed in a smart formal shirt, entered the restaurant just in time to overhear this conversation. Suppressing her irritation, she maintained a calm demeanor and smiled lightly as she pushed open the door.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for my tardiness."

Anshi followed silently, carrying her handbag. Several bodyguards in black uniforms gradually took up positions at the door, exuding an intimidating presence.

Quite a grand entrance.

And quite beautiful. free𝑤ebnovel.com

The suppliers were momentarily dazzled. Exchanging glances that revealed their varied thoughts, they made their brief self-introductions. Then, they quickly changed their previously arrogant attitude and began showering Xu Si with flattering comments.

"It’s better to see once than to hear a hundred times—Miss Xu is indeed as beautiful and capable as rumored."

"I also didn’t expect Miss Xu to be such a pretty woman."

"The Xu Family is prospering under Miss Xu’s leadership; I’ve been wanting to meet you for a long time."

"Thank you," replied Xu Si, her expression composed, as if accustomed to such accolades. She walked to the reserved seat at the head of the table and sat down. Handing her coat to Anshi, she then took out a stack of documents with her white, slender fingers and calmly began to sort through them. "I’m here to talk business. Let’s not dwell on these superficialities."

The suppliers chuckled indifferently. "Talking business is good. Since we’re here for business, Miss Xu, why did you bring so many bodyguards?"

Xu Si tapped her slender fingers on the table, pondered briefly, then smiled. "Don’t mind them; there’s no other intention. I was targeted for assassination a few times in earlier years and simply cherish my life."

This incident had caused a major uproar and was known to anyone who followed the newspapers at the time.

The suppliers offered awkward smiles.

Xu Si then steered the conversation to the main topic. "During my absence from the company these past few years, I heard it was you who approached us for cooperation. Perhaps our procurement staff valued personal relationships, thinking it didn’t matter if we made more or less money since we were all friends. However, you understand the current situation on Hong Kong Island better than I do. Real estate is profitable, but it’s not as easy as you imagine—it’s not like you can just scoop up money by the sackful. Today, I checked, and the purchase prices you’ve offered for building materials are much higher than market rates. So, I’d like to discuss this: if the price can be reduced by twenty percent, we continue our cooperation. If not, the cooperation ends, and I will find new business partners."

Upon hearing that prices were to be reduced instead of increased, the suppliers’ expressions darkened, and even their form of address for her changed.

"President Xu, business isn’t done this way! Our cooperation has been smooth, and now you suddenly want to cut prices and even threaten to end cooperation—that’s not very fair, is it?"

Xu Si said, "Cooperation should be for mutual benefit. Currently, I’m getting less out of the deal, so naturally, I will choose more cost-effective transactions. You are also free to find more suitable partners. Besides, I don’t have to be in the real estate business, do I?"

The suppliers were speechless.

What Xu Si said was true, and she proved more difficult to handle than they had anticipated. Even if she, a young lady of her stature, didn’t engage in business, she could still live her life without financial worries.

Still, it was hard to accept returning money that was practically in their hands. Ceasing cooperation wasn’t an option either; apart from the Xu Family, no one else could handle such a large volume of business.

They brazenly negotiated with Xu Si for a long time, but her demeanor remained the same—calm and resolute.

They knew then that it was a lost cause.

Someone raised a doubt: "Lowering the price is fine, but President Xu, you’re changing your tune so quickly. How can we trust that you’ll continue to cooperate with us?"

Xu Si produced several brand-new contracts, obviously prepared in advance. "We’ve never signed a formal contract before. Once this contract is signed, we will conduct our business according to its terms."

They were still not convinced. Hong Kong Island was in chaos, with half its sky plunged into darkness. Contracts and agreements were essentially nonexistent.

"President Xu, an agreement is just a piece of waste paper these days."

Xu Si smiled, her demeanor proud and aloof. "With my name, Xu Si, on it, the agreement in your hands will never be waste paper. You may inquire about the Xu Group’s formal cooperations from four years ago. I’ll give you time to consider."

The suppliers remained deadlocked.

Xu Si placed the contracts on the table and didn’t waste any more time. "Please consider it carefully. I’m quite busy and will be leaving first."

The bodyguards immediately opened the door for her.

In one swift visit, Xu Si hadn’t even had a meal before the meeting ended.

She was just putting pressure on those people. The real estate business, of course, had to continue. Earning a little less in the past was because she’d found it troublesome while abroad. But now that she was back, how the business was conducted would be her decision.

「When she returned to the Xu Mansion.」

It was already late.

Butler Ge was his usual self, handing her a warm towel with an affectionate smile, asking how her day had been and what dishes she would like for dinner.

Having not seen him for a long time, Xu Si felt a warmth in her heart and sat in the living room, chatting with Butler Ge for a while longer.

Suddenly, a phone rang from the second-floor study.

It was very loud.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but Xu Si always felt this familiar sound was like the death knell in a horror movie.

Her expression subtly changed. She slowly walked into the study and picked up the phone. The voice that spoke was unfamiliar.

"Miss Xu, I’m the person in charge at the Sanlian Chamber of Commerce. I hear you’ve returned to Hong Kong. We’re holding a business reception next week and would like to invite you. The invitation has been sent to the Xu Group. It was understandable you didn’t come last year as you weren’t back, but this year, since you’ve returned, we sincerely hope to have the honor of your presence."

The other party hung up immediately after speaking, seemingly just going through the motions, unconcerned whether she accepted or declined.

Xu Si froze. Only after a long moment did she realize her palms were trembling.

In her previous life, she met Pei Zhen at a Sanlian Chamber of Commerce reception. And the chamber’s underlying organization was the dangerous Triad Society.

So she understood even more clearly now.

The current situation...

Very few people had the nerve to refuse.

On this midsummer night, even the breeze felt sultry.

Xu Si frowned slightly and pursed her lips. Her gaze distant, she picked up the phone to call her company, asking for the invitation to be delivered.

The address was quite normal: a seaside garden resort hotel.

But that hotel wasn’t on Hong Kong Island.

Its location was peculiar—near the Underground City, yet not within its jurisdiction.

She would have to go sooner or later, anyway.

Xu Si’s fingers absently caressed the invitation as she mused.

Then let’s go and see.

Let’s see what differences this Triad Society, with its new leader, has from the one in her previous life.

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